The Helsinki Bus Station Theory is useful in
all sorts of ways once you grasp its concept. The theory goes
something like this: At Helsinki's main bus station, many lines
depart in different directions. These lines then meet once again as
they take the same route out of the city. Doubtful passengers who
don't trust their initial route, hop on and off buses in a quest to
find their own way out, ironically never getting anywhere. The
answer? Stay on the bus. Eventually, the lines diverge in
a multitude of journeys, propelling the persistent passenger
forward to where they want to go and giving them the satisfaction
that comes with doing their own thing.

If there is anyone enjoying the
success of doing their own thing, it is Prince, His aptly named
'Hit and Run' tour, where he pops up unannounced in cities around
the world to do secret, last-minute gigs with his all-female
backing band 3rdEyeGirl is classic Prince, both in terms of
grabbing headlines and whipping fans into a frenzy they haven't
felt since they were teenagers (in my case, that would literally be
1999).

Gigs are often announced via
Twitter, resulting in a virtual treasure hunt to track down venues
and tickets, while the refreshing, old-fashioned ban on mobile
phones gives the show an almost theatrical, performance art
feel.

'His spangled outfits and
gargantuan flares are as eccentric as the capes and canes favoured
by Salvador Dali. Imagine what would happen if he collaborated with
the self-confessed grandmother of performance art, Marina
Abramović? Or Jess Dobkin who does a similar line in explicit
humour and excessive sequins… the mind boggles,' says Emily Tobin,
our features editor who also writes the Buying Art
column.

The showmanship and raw power from
his musical performance is there of course, but it is hard to
imagine another artist who so skillfully weaves design into their
myth. After all, who else can say they are represented by a
self-created symbol that is universally recognised? Or that they
'own' a colour?

Interior design and music have
always been happy bedfellows - from the
opera houses of Vienna and Sydney to Elvis's Graceland,
where the King had the very 'now' notion of using his home as a
means of self-expression.

More recently, we featured
Tessa Kennedy's home (the interior decorator of Elizabeth
Taylor and George Harrison), a testament to how self-possessed
confidence can result in a fascinating life and career.

Similarly single-minded, but on the
other end of the style spectrum is Will Fisher, who developed an
interest in antiques at the age of 10. In his
own home he had each kitchen flagstone tooled individually
by hand, a process which took months, according to his wife and
business partner, Charlotte.

Both of these confident tastemakers
have seen their persistence pay off. Tessa Kennedy, had the
contents of her home
take 'more than double' at auction at Christie's. Will Fisher
now owns Jamb, a highly-successful antique and
reproduction business in London. As for Prince, the rave
reviews keep coming - such as this one from The Independent:

'Ageless, timeless, almost
genderless, he remains an inimitable showman, with an emphatic back
catalogue that renders the majority of modern solo artists so
embarrassingly under-accomplished, it's almost hard to think of him
as a real person.'

'It really is all about
confidence. Discover what inspires you. Watch films. Read books. If
your fashion or musical taste gives you confidence, take that as a
starting point. Translate that into becoming your own design
icon.'

- Gabby Deeming, House &
Garden decoration editor

'There's a real trend for
interiors books that capture bright, bold style. Rizzoli alone have
brought out two new books that encapsulate this: Decorating
Fearlessly by Susanna Salk and a monograph on Mario Buatta, the
American designer known as the "Prince of Chintz".

- Catriona Gray, House &
Garden books editor

'Choosing colour is very
personal so it's important that you select a palette that feels
right for you. In terms of purple, it is a hugely versatile colour.
It has always been much-loved and has a timeless appeal. In
its darkest shades it is a rich, striking colour, while lighter
shades can bring the same restful quality to decorating schemes as
blues but with less risk of making a room scheme feel too
cold. Suitable for all decorating styles, purple is a very
flexible and can have either a masculine or feminine feel,
according to the shade and style of the scheme.'